Godbody

Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" is a short, yet poignant story about relationships between people. "Godbody" is also a short, equally poignant story about the relationships between people and God. Sturgeon's final book is his most important, and will bring you a new awareness of yourself and your beliefs.

I read all of Sturgeon I could find over the years starting as a teenager and enjoying him. I find that I must reread them now as my understanding of Sturgeon is too limited. This I can say of this book though: Sturgeon is partly right about organized religion and mostly wrong. Christianity was twisted, misinterpreted, changed beyond what it was meant to be. But Sturgeon is far, far off base when he supposed eros to be the key to understanding humanity or the divine nature.

I have read considerably about the manifestations of god-like beings who have incarnated at various times and in different cultures through time with the same message - love your neighbor as yourself. Godbody is one more sweet story of a Being who joined us for a short time to remind us that our bodies are our souls made manifest and worthy of love in all respects. That the ultimate union of flesh could also bring about a spiritual union with the universal Great Entity that forms us all is not a new theme. It is merely one more route a soul may take to merge with “God,” as one understands It. You don’t need another person to do this - saints and sages have been in solitary transcendent states for time immemorial. But it’s a lot more fun with the one you love and I know that “God” would approve.

“Godbody,” a character who’s very name reminds us of our sacred pact with our bodies, is one of Sturgeon’s greatest creations and gifts to mankind. If you see this story as nothing but pornography then you have completely missed the point. But see it as a love story between all of us and our many foibles and confusions and our own relationship with the Great Entity and you will have understood the message. Now go read the Song of Songs in the Psalms and you might see the same meaning. Enjoy!

This was recommended by a writing mentor, but I had no idea what to expect. Beautifully written and finely constructed. One I'll go back to and study.

This is a great read and an impressive display of talent. It is a narrative and the cool part is the narrator changes every chapter.

This is a great read and an impressive display of talent. It is a narrative and the cool part is the narrator changes every chapter.